A Friend In Need - Rewritten
by Vaneria Potter
Summary: Misery loves company, and nowhere has only one misfit. It's a lot easier to be an outcast when there's someone with you. What would it have been like, if Hiccup had a friend before Toothless? A friend who was as much the odd one out as he was?
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: Misery loves company, and nowhere has only one misfit. It's a lot easier to be an outcast when there's someone with you. What would it have been like, if Hiccup had a friend before Toothless?_

_Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, the Dreamworks franchise or any related spin-offs._

* * *

**Chapter One**

It is never nice to be the misfit, the useless one, the unwanted outsider, but it is much easier when you have company.

No one would ever say it when there was a chance of Enna Oakenhawk overhearing them and reaching for her spear, but only the fact that her daughter was easily overlooked, and could lift a sword without staggering, saved her from being the worst Viking on Berk, if not the entire Barbaric Archipelago.

Part of it was that she preferred to talk her way out of problems, rather than reach for a weapon or break things. Mentioned slightly less – certainly less in public – was the fact that Natalya Oakenhawk was not, strictly speaking, a Viking of Berk.

Trader Johan may have been a welcome visitor, bringing news and needed items, but his bastard offspring by Enna was not so much. He loved Enna, and their child, but his life and livelihood was on the sea, in Trade, and Enna's family had opposed the match, even after no other family would accept Enna as a wife for their sons.

As far as most of Berk was concerned, the one blessing in Natalya's existence was that it gave Trader Johan a reason to visit Berk more often than he otherwise would – and that Natalya hadn't inherited her father's chatty nature.

Her father's curiosity and level head in a crisis, her mother's determination and bold tongue – at least when she chose to use it – on the other hand, Natalya had managed to inherit in spades. Vikings appreciated bluntness, but since the child's opinions tended to be very un-Viking in nature, her bluntness was another thing that was not so appreciated.

The other Viking children appreciated it even less, and Natalya was nearly five before she made her first friend, Hiccup, Chief Stoick's son and great disappointment. Eager to please, witty, sarcastic and clever beyond comprehension or approval, Hiccup's total inability to stay under the radar and skill at inventing things meant that his mistakes tended to draw far more attention.

Being the Heir to the Tribe, and thus having all eyes on him anyway, might also have something to do with that, while Natalya was frequently overshadowed by her cousin, Astrid.

* * *

Enna was by no means weak, but fever did not care about prowess or physical strength, striking down all and any it chose.

All but orphaned at the age of seven, the same year that the search for Valhallarama was finally called off and a grieving Stoick apprenticed his son to Gobber, Natalya was more alone than ever.

* * *

Even years later, Natalya would never be able to truly say what it was that drew her to the dragons.

Perhaps it was the childlike wonder of the unknown, because for all the statistics and killing techniques, what did Vikings really _know_ about dragons?

Perhaps it was her father's sense of adventure, the love of doing things that no-one else would dare or dream of.

Or perhaps it was just a feeling that there had to be something more than the constant fighting and killing between the two species. Natalya might not be a proper Viking, but at least she could help.

Getting the Book of Dragons away from Fishlegs was not easy, but she managed. She also decided that it would be best to make her own copy, rather than having to tackle the huge boy, bounce off and grab the book while he was too surprised to react every time she wanted to read it.

Stopping at the forge to talk to Hiccup was part of her daily routine, as was being chased away by Gobber when Hiccup got too excited talking about his latest idea and knocked something over. As it was, Hiccup was willing to let her borrow one of his journals when she promised to replace it the next time her father visited, and Natalya would have stayed longer, but she spotted Fishlegs looking for her.

* * *

The rock formations off of the South Coast of Berk were easy to reach at Low Tide, if you didn't mind a bit of climbing, and were an excellent place to be alone. Since there was nothing to smash and not enough room to train, the only Vikings who went there were the young show-offs who used the formations as an obstacle course for boat races, and people seeking solitude.

It was also a good fishing spot, but not good enough for those whose livelihood depended on the fish they caught and thus frequented only occasionally by those looking to earn a little on the side. Aware that she wouldn't be able to rely on her mother's family forever, Natalya had taken to staking out one of two small nets at low tide and swapping them the next day. She changed the nets, tying up the full one and placing it in the little coracle that had been a birthday gift from her father (though Natalya had enjoyed his tale of how he had obtained it from the wild Celts more than the gift itself) and making sure the replacement was securely tied.

Sitting down on a flat rock, Natalya opened the Dragon Manual in front of her, balanced the journal on her lap, and started to copy.

_Common-or-Garden: As the name suggests, this is the most common breed of dragon. Coloured Green, Yellow or Brown, they are armed with basic teeth and claws, and prickly spines. While bearing a strong similarity to the Terrible Terror, which are characterised by larger heads, the speed of the Common-or-Garden dragon is most noticeable when this dragon is in retreat.  
_

Well, that explained why those dragons only hung around in raids long enough to grab a few fish and get the Hel out of there._  
_

_Gronckles: the plug-ugly of the dragon species. Gronckles are very thick-skinned, with strong jaws and hard skull for ramming its enemies. Lazy, to the point of often falling asleep in mid-flight…_

By the time Natalya had finished most of the book and all of the ink her father had brought on his last trip, Low Tide had started to become High Tide, and she settled in to wait.

Technically, Natalya was part of the Hofferson Clan, her mother's sister being married to the Head of that family and Natalya's only living kin, but she stayed in the Oakenhawk Hall, now largely empty after the death of her mother and grandparents, often enough that no-one would worry if she wasn't home before dinner.

She leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying the rare sunshine.

* * *

Loud squawking made her eyes snap open again, looking up to see a kind of aerial warfare going on between a flock of seagulls and a smaller flock of Terrible Terrors.

Natalya hastily dropped the stone she had picked up, hoping that they wouldn't notice her. Terrors might not be very large, but a flock could carry off an entire fishing boat. Even the small number in the air would be enough for a single human child. Maybe they would just finish fighting with the seagulls over the fish and leave…

…or not.

Both Seagulls and Terrors froze in place when one spotted her and shrieked a warning, and Natalya took the opportunity to scramble down the rock much faster than was probably safe. She reached the coracle, the tide high enough for her to paddle safely… only for the Terrors to descend on the little boat, Natalya's screaming lost in the beating of wings.

* * *

Berk had a hidden valley, uncharted thanks to being surrounded by a trench and sheer cliffs that made it accessable only by birds.

Or by dragons.

The Terrors definitely had a way to go as far as gentle landings were concerned, but coracles were sturdy things. Funnily enough, as soon as they had dropped the boat, the little dragons scattered over the valley.

Puzzled by the behaviour, Natalya extracted herself from the net and stood up, looking around. The valley was beautiful, filled with lush grass and a small lake, scattered with clumps of trees and rocks… from which small groups of baby dragons were emerging.

Natalya froze in petrified fear again as they crowded around her like chicks begging for food, spotting Nadders, Nightmares and everything in between. Praying that they weren't hungry for Viking, Natalya groped behind her and held out a fish. A baby Nadder all but sat up and begged.

Natalya tossed the fish to the baby Nadder, only to find all of the other dragons eyeing her with similar pleading expressions. Mentally sighing, she hauled out the entire net and emptied it on the grass, nearly getting knocked back into the coracle by the stampede of dragons. It was chaos for a while, but ended with several dragons gazing at her like she hung the moon, most of them tumbling around in a clumsy game of tag, and one purple-grey dragon cuddled up beside her as they basked in the afternoon sun.

* * *

But it couldn't last.

Natalya finally convinced the Terrors to take both her and the coracle back to the rock formations, hiding in the setting sun, and promised to be back the next day by pointing at the setting sun, and then straight up, indicating noon. Not wanting to be caught outside in the dark, she paddled back to Berk just in time to meet Hiccup as he all but staggered out of the Smithy, brightening when he saw her.

If all went well, perhaps she would tell Hiccup in a week or two.

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* * *

_A/N: So, this is the first chapter of the re-written A Friend In Need. I have decided to leave the previous version up, just in case anyone likes that better, and post this as a separate story, as I will be making enough changes for it not to count as a double-post._

_Comments and constructive criticism are most welcome._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own How To Train Your Dragon, or any of the associated characters._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Natalya woke up in her mother's old bed the next day, feeling unusually warm. Reluctantly, still half-asleep, she slowly opened her eyes… and was jolted to full awareness when she discovered that one of yesterday's new friends had followed her home.

That explained the warmth, at least, even if it caused a whole host of other problems.

Luckily, there was some smoked meat and fish in the cold-room, and Natalya had left a batch of bread dough to rise overnight. That would provide a decent excuse for where she had been, if anyone even asked, and a dragon would get the oven going a lot faster than Natalya could.

She mimed blowing into the oven as she shaped the dough into loaves and was rewarded with a small burst of flame that lit the fire. She stroked the dragon just behind its frill and put the bread on, laying out plans for getting the dragon out of the house un-noticed.

* * *

Natalya had considered telling Hiccup about the dragons when she learned more and adjusted to the situation herself, but it turned out to be un-necessary.

The purple dragon, who Natalya had eventually named Skyfire, hadn't stopped somehow showing up by the time Natalya awoke in the morning, no matter what she tried. More importantly, the dragon was growing fast enough that smuggling her out under the coracle wasn't going to work for much longer, if only because Natalya wasn't strong enough to carry both of them.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a short knock and the door opening unexpectedly. "Gobber gave me the day off so he could fix his hand, and I thought – "

Hiccup stopped mid-sentence and stared, making an obvious effort to stay calm. "Natalya, what – "

Natalya yanked him inside and shut the door before he could accidentally alert anyone and before a less reasonable Viking noticed the dragon curled up by the fire. "You'll never believe this, but she followed me home."

Hiccup groped for a chair and practically fell into it. "Natalya, that's insane! A Dragon, following you home? How? What breed is it, anyway? What are you - ?"

Natalya giggled. "I know, but she did. Remember when I borrowed your journal to make a copy of the Book of Dragons last month? Well, I ran into some Terrors having a fight with some seagulls, and I was trying to run but they carried off my coracle, with me and the day's catch inside of it."

Hiccup was not-so-discreetly checking her for injuries, and Natalya batted his hands away. "Stop that, I'm fine! Anyway, they took me to where they live, but there were no adult dragons, just babies. I fed them and at the end of the day they took me back."

Hiccup closed his eyes. "I can't believe I'm even saying this, but does it have a name? What breed is it?"

Natalya shrugged. "I was thinking of Skyfire, but that's only a thought. As for the breed, I think she's a mix. She looks mostly like a Skrill, but the lines are softer and more graceful, with a longer neck. Her wings are closest to a Sky Dragon, and she spends a lot of time soaking up the sun, like they do. She's also looking to become a lot bigger than a Skrill, and Sky Dragons are one of the biggest breeds out there. Luckily, they're also one of the gentlest. What?"

Hiccup was grinning fondly. "I haven't seen you so enthusiastic about anything before, that's all. How are you going to explain disappearing all the time, though? If you keep it up, that is."

Natalya shrugged again, shoving away a pang of sorrow. "I'm illegitimate. My father provides only two-thirds of my support, as required by law, and the less I'm around, the happier the Hoffersons are. Astrid does have three brothers, after all. The Hall is mine, as the third of support provided by my mother's family, so if I get Father's permission, I can live here instead. He talked with the Hoffersons about it on his last trip."

That was practical, though Natalya would still need to find a way of supporting herself. Bastards brought very little to an alliance, so their chances of marriage were never high. Hiccup nodded thoughtfully, his mind racing. "Sensible. But, truthfully, why are you doing this?"

Natalya paused. "Truthfully, I don't know; it just feels right. But think about it. Every baby dragon that I feed is one less that is likely to grow up to raid Berk. Terrors hunt in packs, and if I can teach them to use a net, they won't need to raid our stores. Dragons get old just like we do, and if we can create a generation of non-hostile dragons…"

"We can stop the war! Natalya, that's brilliant!" Hiccup tried to swing her around, overbalanced and brought them both crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and laughter. "Thanks for telling me. I know it was a risk."

Natalya helped him up and hugged him. "We're best friends, aren't we? Besides, you're the smartest person I know, and I won't be able to do this all by myself."

Hiccup grew serious. "Even if your plan works perfectly, it's going to take a long time. I only just started in the Forge, but I already have plenty of ideas for weapons. If we can capture grown dragons, instead of killing them, we can study them."

Natalya smiled gratefully, not needing words. "You get Sun's Day off, don't you? I'll introduce you then."

* * *

Natalya wasn't stupid, and knew the dangers of introducing Hiccup to the Dragons.

For one thing, he was the son of the chief, and the consequences for him if they were discovered too soon would be much more severe. For another, Hiccup was not a good liar, and loved his father fiercely. Hiccup didn't know the dragons, didn't love them as Natalya did – not yet. Friendship or not, if it came to a choice between Stoick and the Village, or Natalya and the dragons, she didn't know where Hiccup would fall.

For now, it was a good thing that they were both so small and could fit easily into the coracle. He screamed a lot less than Natalya had on her first flight, which she found both relieving and annoying. He didn't freeze like Natalya had the first time, either. In fact, she didn't even need to teach him how to approach the dragons!

If Hiccup had been even a little less her friend, Natalya would have been pouting. As it was, she was perhaps a bit too pleased when Hiccup sat down beside her, hands shaking a little. "That might probably be the most terrifying thing I've done in my life."

Natalya smiled. "It's not that bad, and it gets easier, especially when you consider that they're only babies." She paused a moment, "Well? Do you think we can do it?"

Hiccup nudged her. "I think that you can do anything you put your mind to, though I don't know how much help I'll be. Gobber keeps a very close eye on me, and probably the most I'll be able to do if figure out inventions that capture instead of kill."

His friend shrugged. "Well, nothing is going to happen in the short-term, and while I don't wish Stoick any misfortune, a day will come when you'll be Chief, and in a position to make a difference."

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* * *

_A/N: According to Viking Answer Lady, Sex outside of Marriage was a bit of a tricky subject. Marriages were arranged by families with little regard for the future husband and wife, who were expected to work things out later, but since several sagas record a wife maiming or even killing a husband she really didn't want, presumably she was asked if she had any serious objections. Men could have concubines or bed-slaves, but women were expected to be chaste and faithful. This is where it gets tricky._

_If a woman was seduced or raped, no stigma was attached, unlike many other countries of the time. An acknowledged bastard would only receive two-thirds of support from the father's family, unlike a legitimate child who would be fully supported. An unacknowledged bastard would be totally reliant on its mother's family, and the mother would have less chance of making a good marriage. This was another reason Vikings did not have long courtships, as the sagas also record eight cases of an extended courtship resulting in an illegitimate child._

_With all the dragon raids, Berk is probably not very prosperous. The Hoffersons already have at least one child (probably more) both parents and likely an extended family to support. Regardless of personal feelings toward a child they don't really understand or relate to, they will not be unhappy if she is no longer their responsibility._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, or any of the associated characters or spin-offs._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters._

_Author's Note: This almost didn't get published. I have Aspergers Syndrome, and part of that is that I often need reassurance on the quality of my work. Even something as simple as "good job, keep it up" absolutely makes my day, while a total lack of reviews makes me question if the story is worth continuing. I have to admit that several of my stories have gone on very long hiatus for exactly this reason. I don't want to sound like I'm begging for reviews, but it is nice to know that hard work is appreciated._

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Natalya was ten when she and Hiccup recieved an awkward surprise.

They had been sitting with the flock, making another net for the dragons to use and going over the lesser-read part of the Book of Dragons, when a flurry of wings made them look up. It was a few adult dragons, and a large number of very young ones, only just able to fly.

Both humans moved closer to the dragons that were already there, not having the weapons or the room to defend themselves if the adult dragons attacked. Luckily, they didn't, but only dropped off the hatchlings, nuzzling them in farewell and looking as close to mournful as a dragon could, before flying off again, not even stopping to raid the village.

Hiccup and Natalya exchanged confused looks, then simultaneously reached for the Book of Dragons. Natalya let Hiccup have it while she took the last of the fish over to the new arrivals and started coaxing the original inhabitants to play nicely.

Hiccup found what they needed just as Natalya walked back, a Baby Nadder practically hanging off her. Hiccup held up the Book of Dragons, moving over so that she could sit down again. "Found it."

Natalya skimmed through the page, swiftly processing the information. "So dragons lay a clutch every three to five years, depending on the edragon, and the eggs take a week to hatch. Hiccup, we are going to have a problem in a few years."

Hiccup nodded. It had not been too difficult to feed the dozen or so dragons that were already here, but doubling that number of mouths to feed was going to be hard. "Well, we were talking about teaching the older and larger ones to hunt for themselves anyway, since we managed to teach the terrors how to fish, so we just need to step up on that. Maybe we can look at some of the islands nobody has settled, the ones that don't have good land for farming, or are too small for a proper community, and maybe move some of the dragons there."

Natalya considered. "I doubt that Skyfire would mind scouting them out too much. Now the only problem is how we can teach them to hunt."

Hiccup shrugged. "Most of the adults are leaving on another search in three weeks, after the harvest is in and Trader Johan visits. That will leave just the mothers with young children and the ones whose work keeps them here."

Natalya tilted her head, doing a few calculations. "If we try to teach them a few hunting moves now, and maybe some hand signals, they should be ready in three weeks, and we can start teaching them to get food without raiding."

* * *

A large part of the early training fell to Hiccup, as Trader Johan would most likely want to spend what spare time he had with his daughter, and Natalya was planning to talk him into giving permission for something. Luckily, dragons were natural predators, and Natalya had already come up with a number of words and phrases which she had started to teach the older fledglings.

The first attempted hunting trip, mainly to see what the dragons knew by instinct, was one big mess. Their first time hunting, dragons collided with each other as they tried to go for the same prey, flew in the wrong direction or went into something very much like a tantrum when they missed a catch.

On the ground and trying not to laugh as Natalya directed operation in the air (or at least tried to) Hiccup took notes and started sketching ideas for a saddle that would help direct a dragon so that he could teach them to associate commands with maneuvers.

Finally, he glanced out to the sea from his rocky perch, spotting a familiar ship. He waved Natalya down from where she was directing the dragons back to the valley. "Your father's coming in! I'll finish up here, if you want to take Skyfire back!"

Even from a distance, it was easy to see her blinding smile as she gave the last group of dragons the signal for 'land', and Hiccup felt a pang in his chest that he tried to ignore. Natalya was a bastard, but her father was proud to acknowledge her, making sure she knew she was loved even in his absence, without having to prove anything. Hiccup was the son of the chief, but his father was always after him to be the best and only ever looked at him with disappointment.

Hiccup didn't begrudge his friend one of the few advantages she had in life, nor was he blind to the privileges he did have from his birth (privacy was certainly a blessing) but there were times that he did envy her.

* * *

Natalya left Skyfire in the woods behind her mother's hall, darted inside long enough to grab the waybread and preserves she had made, both as a gift and a persuasive argument, and ran the rest of the way to the docks. She arrived just as her father was lowering the plank, darting through the crowd of Vikings and practically throwing herself into his arms. "Father!"

Trader Johan hugged her tightly, wishing again that his skill set would have allowed him to settle on Berk and marry Enna, raising their child properly. Sleeping together had been Enna's last ditch attempt to get her parent's permission, but the Oakenhawks had preferred an acknowledged bastard to letting their younger child marry an outsider who would be gone most of the year and had no useful ability outside of trading and storytelling.

Enna probably would have gone with him on his journeys, her parents' wishes be damned, but she suffered from terrible seasickness, and a small ship that frequently sailed into dangerous waters and even more dangerous situations was no place to raise a baby. A stable life on Berk was better than the uncertainty of his own, and he always made sure to let Natalya (and all of Berk) know that he was not ashamed of her.

Releasing his daughter, he held her at arms length. "You've grown so tall, child. You look more like your mother every day."

Natalya lit up like the Northern Lights. "Did you bring back any stories to tell? I made preserves and waybread, and Hiccup says that they're good."

Johan had seen the bond between his daughter and the Chief's son, and had no doubt that Hiccup would have praised Natalya's cooking to the skies if it had been burned black. Natalya was shaping up as an excellent cook, however, and some of the Meatheads had almost broke into a fight over the last jar of her berry preserves.

Instead of saying as such, he smiled, picking up a small bag. "I brought far more than stories. Do you have any adventures to tell me about?"

Natalya looked inside the bag and nearly bounced with glee. "Ooh, spices! Hiccup has been inventing again, and some of his ideas are really good, even if the other Vikings don't think so. Come to Mother's hall for dinner and I'll try something from the recipe book you brought me last time. There's something else I wanted to talk to you about, but it can wait."

Natalya wove her way back through the crowd, stopping halfway up the hill to talk with another small figure, letting Johan get on with his usual trading.

Spices were worth a king's ransom in some parts of the world, but seeing his daughter smile and giving her an advantage in life with the ability to make food that no-one else could was more than worth it.

* * *

Natalya and Hiccup were sitting at the table, enticing smells drifting through the kitchen, when Trader Johan walked in at the end of the day. From the books in front of them, he assumed that they were discussing some of Hiccup's plans for future inventions, especially since the books were slammed shut before he could properly see them. But that was understandable; sharing trade secrets was bad for business.

Hiccup stood and collected the books. "I'd better get home. Good luck."

Natalya hugged him, as she always did. "I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know how it goes."

The chief's son left, and Natalya darted into the kitchen, returning with a platter of food which she set on the table between them. Johan broke open a soft loaf of bread, relishing the smell and taste after so many weeks of hard bread and sea rations. "If you chose, you could have a promising career as a baker. This is excellent."

Natalya beamed, as she always did when anyone paid her a compliment, though I according to the Hoffersons that didn't happen very often when Johan wasn't around. "Actually, that was one of the things I wanted to talk to you about..."

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* * *

_A/N: So, a bit of fluff, a bit of story, and I hope you all liked it. On the downside, I have three assignments due in two weeks and no free weekends. On the bright side, my TAFE course is nearly over, after which I will probably have a lot more writing time._

_Constructive Criticism is much appreciated._

_Thanks,_

_Nat_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, or any of the Associated Characters or spin-offs. No profit is being made and no infringement is intended._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters._

**Chapter Four**

* * *

The second hunt went much better than the first. Wild boars were nearlyas much of a pest to the other inhabitants of Berk as the Dragons were. Using them as a second food source for the dragons was actually helpful to the island, as well as to Natalya herself, as a single haunch was enough for several pies and two batches of stuffed rolls.

Trader Johan had been receptive enough to the idea of Natalya opening a shop. He had his reservations due to her age, but she was only a few years from being a woman, and correct that it wasn't fair to have to rely on the Hoffersons forever. It was unconventional, certainly, but there were few options available to a female bastard, and Johan would rather see her able to support herself than become a concubine or bed warmer.

It actually wasn't that hard, though it required some re-arranging of her time with the dragons. Adding a smaller building next to her hall wasn't hard, after bribing a few workers with a week of free bread, and it was easy to claim that she spent the middle of the day in the woods trapping or gathering ingredients.

Leaving a slow-rising dough that she had found in a book from her father to rise overnight saved on ingredients, and several of the recipies from other lands gained her a boost in popularity. It also allowed her to keep her prices slightly lower than those in the Mead Hall, and to specialise in small things that could be eaten on the go if you didn't have time to go to the Mead Hall. Stuffed rolls were one of those things, essentially dough wrapped around finely chopped meat, vegetables or other filling of choice before being baked and eaten hot.

The fact that they were quick and easy to make was another blessing, especially after a dragon raid. The Oakenhawks had possessed the sense to eventually rebuild the living area and store-rooms out of stone, rather than wood. Combined with the fact that a Skrill was surpassed only by a Night Fury for staying hidden in the dark, and few dragons wanted to tangle with that level of teeth and claws when there were easier targets, meant that there were a number of times when Natalya and the Mead Hall were the only buildings with a functioning kitchen.

Or the only buildings standing, but the point remained.

It also helped that Skyfire had developed a gift for cameoflage, which confirmed Natalya's opinion that she was part Sky Dragon. Sky Dragons were regularly mistaken as large clouds, and while Skyfire's colouring prevented being mistaken for a fluffy white cloud like her relatives, she made a very convincing thunder cloud, especially in lower light or a storm. Of course, a Skrill's ability to ride lightning and unique brand of fire-breathing only helped this impression.

Skyfire was also a lot smaller than Sky Dragons, finishing her growth only slightly larger than a Nightmare. On the positive side, at least this meant that Skyfire could get a lot closer before people realised that she wasn't a cloud.

* * *

Winter meant that Natalya was, at 14 to Hiccup's 12 years of age, bundled up in a thick, fur-lined wool coat and sewing herself a new wool dress and apron, curled up as close to Skyfire as she could manage. She would be glad when this growing spurt was over and she could stop making a new underdress every few months when she outgrew the old one. She was already sewing the apron as long as practical and with far more seam allowance than usual.

Not far away from her, Hiccup was practically invisible under a pile of Terrors, using their body heat to warm himself up as he sketched and wrote in his journal. "You know, It's times like this that I really envy Fishlegs and Snotlout."

Natalya took a moment to decipher the muffled voice and figure out what he meant, as the two boys didn't exactly have a lot in common, and laughed. "Fishlegs I understand; he's large enough to keep warm, but I don't know about Snotlout."

Hiccup managed to poke his head out of the pile, a Terror balanced on his head. "Why not? He's big enough."

Natalya laughed again at the picture he made, trying not to notice how cute it made the Chief's son look. She had been doing that a lot lately. "He was in the shop with the Thorston twins yesterday, arguing with Tuffnut about who was tougher and insisting that 'Real Men' didn't need blankets, even in winter. Ruffnut egging them on didn't help."

Hiccup grinned back. "Sounds like the Twins. Maybe Snotlout will stop trying to impress Astrid and make an idiot of himself over Ruffnut, instead."

Natalya laughed at the mental image of Snotlout attempting to court the violent girl, who had once tried to bury him alive, though their shared love of destruction might actually make her give him a chance. Hiccup was not quite as easily deterred, though. "But don't try to distract me, Natalya, something is bothering you."

Hiccup was far more perceptive than most Vikings, which could be a blessing or a curse. It was nice to know that he paid such close attention to her mood. "A few things, really. The Hoffersons were talking about taking me to the Thing this year, and I can't help but worry why. Astrid wasn't happy about having to stay behind, but my Father agreed with - what are you looking like that for?"

Hiccup tried to wipe the dreamy look of his face. "Nothing! Just - Astrid's kind of cute, don't you think? I mean, I know that she probably wants to be a Shieldmaiden, but still... What's wrong?"

Natalya wore the shuttered expression that said to anyone who knew her that she was unhappy about something, but trying not to show it. _Of course_ Hiccup would go for Astrid, who was blonde and blue-eyed, better with an axe that some adults, beautiful, the perfect Viking teenager... and _legitimate. _

Who would ever pick Natalya over that, especially if they had to marry well, as Hiccup would? She tried to brush it off, along with the sudden urge to yank her cousin's lovely blonde hair out by the roots. "Hiccup, I'm a girl, too. We don't give opinions on the physical desirability of other girls. Not as a compliment, at least."

Hiccup was bright enough to change the topic. "So, I was thinking that we need to be a bit more proactive. We don't know how long dragons live, and even the oldest of our dragons is still a few years from adulthood. But, after seeing that they aren't mindless beasts, I was trying to figure out a way to capture dragons, rather than killing them."

Natalya smiled, completing the thought. "And if we study them and show the others our findings, they might come around to our way of thinking! Well, some of the younger ones, anyway, I don't know about the adults."

Hiccup shook off the pile of Terrors, sitting next to Natalya and pulling out his sketchbook as Skyfire shifted to curl around them both. He flipped through several drawings of dragon saddles, various inventions and even a few of Natalya herself, before stopping on something that looked like a mix of a miniature covered wagon like her father had described some nomadic tribes as using, a trebuchet (another thing that she only knew from her father's descriptions) and a crossbow. Next to it was the drawing of a net, with bolas attached, linked by the net, rather than a chain.

Natalya was impressed but confused. "Hiccup, you know when I said that not everyone was as clever as you?"

Hiccup looked slightly sheepish. "Oh, right. Well, you take it to where the defences are set up, aim, and then it launches the net when you pull a lever, instead of having to actually throw it. Gives it a faster and longer range, too. And you can move it to aim a lot better than judging when to release."

Natalya smiled, freeing one arm to gesture at him. "You see? _This_ is why we are going to succeed one day."

* * *

Natalya's trip to the annual Thing didn't go as badly as she had feared, and became a regular trip.

As she was not required to attend any of the meetings, judgements or other official things, she spent most of the time at her father's Stall, having bribed the Bog-Burglars with preserves and a week's supply of stuffed rolls to leave their possessions alone. With Skyfire refusing to stray far from Natalya's side, it wasn't hard to fly back to the Valley so that the babies didn't think that she and Hiccup had abandoned them.

That was another area where the Bog-Burglars were useful. The Heir might be the biggest chatterbox this side of Valhalla, but Loki himself couldn't pry a secret out of her, if she was minded to keep it, and covering for Hiccup and Natalya when they were at the Valley appealed to her sense of mischief. Speaking of whom… "Camicazi, I swear by Thor…"

Two irate male voices echoed across the beach, followed swiftly by the laughter of a girl with blonde hair that even the most generous of critics would struggle to describe as 'wild'. That was another reason to like the Thing; Hiccup's fellow Heirs.

Camicazi of the Bog-Burglars was a year younger than Hiccup, and Thuggory of the Meat-Heads a little more than a year older, but both of them appreciated Hiccup's mind and treated him almost like a brother. A brother who they only saw once a year, perhaps, and who was the brains to Thuggory's brawn and Cami's audacity, but Natalya considered it a good thing that Hiccup would not be alone if the Hoffersons did succeed in marrying her off to someone.

There did seem to be a few more young men hanging around the stall this year than last, though that could be the food. Apparently, her father hadn't been exaggerating (for once) when he claimed that a fight had nearly broken out over the last jar of her preserves.

Viking women who chose the sword generally were not known for their domestic skills – Trader Johan often pointed out that he certainly hadn't fallen in love with Enna for her cooking – and girls who chose a more traditional path didn't usually come to the Thing, unless they were an Heir or needed as a witness for something.

Camicazi skidded to a halt in a spray of sand, making Natalya hastily cover the bowl, and took refuge behind the older girl. Hiccup and Thuggory tried to stop before they ran into Natalya, crashed into each other, and rolled to a halt in a tangle of limbs at her feet. "Ow."

Camicazi burst out laughing as Natalya rolled her eyes. "Very impressive, both of you. What did Cami do this time?"

The Bog-Burglar Heir adopted an innocent expression that fooled no-one. "What makes you think it was me? Boys aren't nearly as good as girls, so it's even more likely that it was one of their fault."

That made Natalya even more certain that Cami was the instigator. "Because Hiccup tries to avoid stirring up trouble, and Thuggory prefers to let either you or Hiccup do the thinking? Just tell me if this is something I'll want to claim ignorance about."

The look exchanged between the three Heirs spoke louder than any words could. "Fine, I never saw you, and you can hide in the tent for a few hours."

If Camicazi could cover for her and Hiccup about the Dragons, then Natalya could do the same, especially if it make Hiccup smile like that.

She heard Thuggory muttering as all three Heirs tried to get through the tent opening at the same time. "How can you like this Astrid girl so much, if she's even a little like Cami? I mean, Cami makes an awesome little sister, but I'd never ask her out. Far too scary. Ow!"

Cami had probably just hit him. Hiccup's reply was inaudible, but Natalya felt her good mood evaporate.

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_A/N: well, I'm halfway through my work placement, and once that's over I should have more writing time. I wanted to get one last chapter up before I see the pre-release of HTTYD 2 with friends. I love being friends who are willing to geek out with me and dress up as Vikings for a night at the movies!_

_Also, Poll Time! What pairings would you like to see, or should this remain strictly a friendship fic, aside from the Canon crush on Astrid? Submit your opinion in a review._

_Thanks,_

_Nat_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, or any of the associated characters or spin-offs._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters._

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

17-year-old Natalya was seething and taking her frustration out on a batch of dough.

Yes, last night had been a bit of a fiasco, especially when Hiccup claimed to have hit a Nightfury, but _what_ did Gobber think he was _doing_, telling her that she would be taking part in Dragon Training, starting tomorrow?

Well, thank you very much for the advance warning so that she could work out a way together her cooking done and rearrange the rest of her day! It wasn't like she depended on a trade to make her living, or that those learning or practicing a trade was usually exempt from training as a warrior...

Her thoughts were cut off as the door opened and Hiccup flew in, looking panicked. "My dad signed me up for dragon training! What are we going to do? We need a plan, fast!"

He slumped into a chair as Natalya fixed him with a raised eyebrow. She sighed, "To be fair, it's not like either of us expected anything like this to ever happen. If you won't be at the forge, we can go early mornings and afternoons, instead of half-days, and I'll just have to stay up later and get my orders delivered early."

Hiccup matched her sigh with his own as he dropped his head, narrowly missing a face-plant into the dough. "At least the dragons know enough to hunt for themselves, if they need to. That's not all, though. I found the Nightfury I hit."

Nightfuries were one of the few dragons they hadn't encountered among the baby dragons, and one that anyone with functioning brain cells could tell you that there was a big difference any newly-born or hand raised animal and a wild-caught adult. This was especially true of dragons, as the adults that they would face in training had almost certainly taken part in a raid and saw humans as enemies to kill or be killed by.

Hiccup correctly interpreted her worried look. "I'm fine, Natalya, really. He was trapped in the bola net, and I was still scared when he opened his eye, but he looked as frightened as I was. It was like looking into a mirror. I cut him loose, and all he did was roar at me and take off."

Natalya blinked. That was... unexpected, to say the least. She blinked again when Hiccup abruptly changed the subject, "How is your poleaxe working out?"

The poleaxe in question was an axe head on a pole nearly as tall as she was. After the tenth time she narrowly avoided chopping her own foot off when she dropped it due to the weight, Natalya had taken it to Hiccup for modifications. Hiccup had turned the shaft into wood with a metal core, using the leftovers to put a spike on the bottom end and make her a few charms to decorate her dress. Natalya smiled at him, "Much better, now that I can actually lift it. At least I'll have a weapon I can use, and few people will be surprised if I fail to actually injure a dragon with it."

Hiccup snickered. "Maybe. After the way you threatened Dogsbreath away from trying to steal your cooking at the last Thing, though, maybe not."

The weapon had been another of her father's gifts after the previous Thing, when Trader Johan somehow got the idea that boys had started noticing his only daughter.

His original gift had been a bow and arrows to help her in hunting rabbits and such, which she had loved and started planning how to use on dragonback. Then Natalya had turned around to see her father glaring at Thuggory, who had been leaning on the counter in a manner far too much like Snotlout when he was trying to be 'charming' for Natalya to take the Heir seriously, and stalking off to trade with a weapons merchant.

Two days later, he had given her the poleaxe, and Natalya had spent a week limping from where she had promptly dropped ten pounds of solid metal on her foot as soon as her father turned his back.

Natalya rolled her eyes playfully. "As far as most people are concerned, that was pure luck. I guess our plan is to try and use everyone's low expectations to avoid killing dragons, and hope that the dragons in the arena are ones that dropped their young into our care."

* * *

They lingered with the dragons for as long as they could the next morning, both silent as they attempted to think of an upside to the whole mess. It wasn't until they were trudging back to the village that Hiccup brightened a little. "Hey, since we're training together, that means Astrid will at least have to talk to me, right?"

His Crush's cousin only scowled and sped up a little, muttering something too quietly for even his sharp ears to catch. Of course, he couldn't expect her to be as excited as he was to be spending time with Astrid, and with the way she was gripping her poleaxe, it was probably better for Hiccup not to ask.

Natalya reached the arena first, at the same time as the other teen recruits. Gobber threw open the grate, sounding far too cheerful. Then again, so did most of the other teens, and the Twins were the worst. "I'm hoping for some serious burns."

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my lower back."

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

"I hate you all so much right now."

Astrid was getting better at sarcasm, and Natalya was hoping for the strength of will to prevent herself from trying to thump the twins for their excitement, and was only stopped by the fact that she probably couldn't do so without getting beaten up. She jerked out of her planning when she heard Hiccup trudging in, somehow sounding even less enthusiastic than she was. "No kidding. Pain? Love it."

Tuffnut sighed. "Oh, great. Who let him in?"

Gobber spoke over all of them, pretending not to have heard the male twin. "Alright, let's get started. The recruit who does best will win the honour of killing his very first dragon."

Natalya mentally cursed, planning to do the worst that she could. _Training_ to defend yourself from dragons was a sensible idea, yes, but no-one had said anything about _killing_! Being hopeless enough to be thrown out of Dragon Training sounded like a pretty good idea right now…

Snotlout sneered. "Well, Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify him?"

Natalya rolled her eyes, almost wishing that she hadn't left her bow behind. "Oh, shut up, Snotlout."

Snotlout ignored her. "Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?"

Gobber ignored him, guiding Hiccup away and speaking him in a low voice as he formed the teens into a line. Glancing upward, Natalya barely managed not to curse when she spotted a single, distinctly-shaped cloud hovering far overhead, the only patch in a clear, blue sky. Perhaps ranting to Skyfire last night about not wanting to fight dragons and the probability of serious injury had not been such a good idea. Now it looked like her dragon had decided to hover around to make sure she was safe.

Swiftly turning her attention back to Gobber before anyone could ask what she was staring at, Natalya tried to focus. "Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight. The Deadly Nadder, the Hideous Zippleback, the Monstrous Nightmare, the Terrible Terror and – WILL YOU STOP THAT!"

The yell had been directed at Fishlegs, who had been rattling off Dragon statistics at each name. Fishlegs froze, but whispered to Hiccup as Gobber introduced the Gronkle, his hand on the lever that would open its cage. Snotlout wasn't exactly clever, but even he could guess what was going to happen next. "Wait, aren't you going to train us?"

Gobber ignored, or just didn't notice, the very obvious worry from all of the teens. "I believe in learning on the job."

Natalya swore loudly as the Gronkle burst out of the cage and the trainees scattered as Gobber blithely continued his instruction. "Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing ye'll need?"

Hiccup looked like he wanted nothing more than to be elsewhere. "A doctor?"

Fishlegs looked faintly hysterical. "Plus-five speed?"

Natalya dodged Snotlout, trying to find the fastest way to the exit, which was promptly blocked by Gobber. "A quick escape route?"

Astrid, as usual, had the right answer: "A shield!"

Natalya glared at her cousin, wishing that the other girl was a bit less perfect. Pushing that aside for later, she grabbed the nearest shield and threw herself behind the weapons rack, taking cover until she had a better idea of what was going on. Hiccup was struggling to pick up a shield while holding onto his axe, while Astrid had grabbed a shield and was standing in a ready position. Someone needed to take the twins aside and tell them that when you are in immediate danger of being roasted by a dragon, it is not the time to fight over which twin gets which shield, especially since the shield was hit by a blast from the Gronkle, spinning both twins around and causing Gobber to call them out.

The remaining four were back in a more or less steady line as Gobber retrieved Natalya from her hiding place, pushing her out into combat. "Those shields are good for another thing: noise. Make lots of it; it'll throw off a dragon's aim. Now, all dragons have a limited number of shots; how many does a Gronkle have?"

Hiccup had taken Natalya's place in the rack as soon as Gobber's back was turned, but Snotlout was still running as he shouted a guess, "Five?"

Fishlegs made the mistake of standing still to correct him. "No, no: six!"

Fishlegs was so pleased at knowing the right answer that he failed to notice the Gronkle coming up behind him until it blasted his shield to bits, causing Natalya to narrow her eyes in thought. So far, the Gronkle had only made two shots, despite ample opportunity, and Natalya had seen dragons fighting enough times to realize that the Gronkle was aiming for the shields, rather than the trainees themselves.

Lowering her shield down and to the side, she beat a quick tattoo on the edge, drawing the dragon's attention while Gobber was focussing on the others. The Gronkle didn't try to blast her, but flew forward in a manuver that Natalya recognized from over-excited Terrible Terrors zooming in to greet her. Deliberately, she fell backwards to lessen the impact, the Gronkle nuzzling her for a few seconds before Snotlout actually tackled it, knocking the dragon away before he retreated back to Astrid. "Hey, did you see me? How cool a move was that?"

Smiling in relief and at Astrid's expression, Natalya retreated to where Fishlegs and the Twins were sitting, content to sit back and observe.

Snotlout was still trying – and failing miserably – to flirt with Astrid, and like Fishlegs, was so intent that he failed to notice the dragon until it was too late. Astrid rolled over to where Hiccup had been dragged out of hiding, and then darted away again as the Gronkle's next shot landed between them, and Natalya spotted a problem.

Hiccup did not have his father's size or build, but there were several unmistakable similarities, especially if the dragon was disoriented, and the dragons had no love for Stoik the Vast. Astrid looked indignant when the Gronkle ignored her, despite clearly being the greater threat, and went after Hiccup, who did the sensible thing and bolted.

Natalya's best and only friend wasn't fast enough, though, and she scrambled to her feet again as the Gronkle backed Hiccup up against a wall, opening its mouth in preparation to flame the youth. Natalya darted forward, not even knowing what she could do, but Gobber got there first, yanking the Gronkle's jaw so that the fire missed Hiccup by inches.

Natalya collapsed in relief as Gobber dragged the Gronkle back, before Astrid dragged her back upright, hissing about being a 'family embarrassment'. Natalya returned a glare, "So, what else is new? I've been the family embarrassment since the hour I was born, and none of you have failed to let me know it!"

Something that might have been regret flew across Astrid's face as Gobber closed the Gronkle's cage. "Remember, a dragon will always, ALWAYS, go for the kill."

Natalya and Hiccup exchanged looks. But then why hadn't the Night Fury?

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_A/N: I decided that the last chapter felt too rushed and that I hadn't put in enough build-up. So, I made it longer, added parts of the next chapter, and split it in half. I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to tell me about things that need improvement. 7 favourites, 11 follows and 1 reviews last chapter? We can do better than that!_

_Also, voting for pairings is still open._

_Thanks,_

_Nat_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, or any of the associated characters._

_Summary: See Previous Chapters_

* * *

CHAPTER SIX

Natalya and Hiccup searched through the woods for the Night Fury, armed with a few fish saved from the dragon's daily catch and Skyfire, who was following a scent trail from Hiccup's bola.

Hiccup found the first sign, a few scattered, blue-black scales, perfect for blending into the night sky, at the edge of a lovely hollow. They both found the second sign, which was a very frustrated Night Fury attempting to climb out, gliding back down when he failed. Natalya's eyes widened in awe, ignoring the scratching sound of Hiccup drawing next to her. "Good thing we brought the fish. The poor thing must be hungry, after two days."

Hiccup rubbed something out, his voice as soft as hers, but brimming with curiosity. "Why doesn't he just... fly away?"

Natalya considered, examining the Night Fury. Her examination was interrupted when the dragon looked up and spotted them, growling softly. She took a deep breath. "I'll go first. You follow with the fish."

Natalya started to climb down, but Hiccup stopped her. "No. He feels threatened right now, and frustrated. We'll leave the fish for now, and come back tomorrow. Dragons are curious, and hopefully the curiosity will make him less hostile."

That was total guesswork, of course, but experience suggested that dragons, like most animals, were less aggressive when they were fed. Besides, they needed to get back to the village for non-combat dragon training and dinner.

* * *

Of course, it had to start raining before they reached the village, much less the Mead Hall, which meant that Skyfire stopped just long enough to deposit them back on the ground before flying off to play in the impending storm.

Resigning themselves to getting drenched - at least Natalya would have Skyfire sneak back sometime during the night to warm her up - the teens made their way back.

They were swiftly approaching 'soaked' when they reached the Mead Hall, only to discover that the class had started without them. Exchanging looks, they opened the doors to Astrid's voice. "I mis-timed my somersault dive. It was sloppy, it threw off my reverse-tumble."

Natalya rolled her eyes at the perfectionist streak as Ruffnut smirked, sending the brunette girl an almost understanding look. "Yeah, we noticed. Nice to know you aren't perfect."

She gave her twin a victorious head-slam as Astrid reached for her axe, which Gobber had moved out of reach and Snotlout tried to flatter Astrid back into a better mood, moving over to block any chance of Hiccup or Natalya sitting down. Hiccup, used to it, merely swiped a chicken leg and a tankard, sitting at the next table over as Gobber continued. "What about Natalya?"

Fishlegs shrugged. Natalya hadn't really done enough in the ring to be worthy of note or criticism, unlike the twins; who needed to stop fighting, Snotlout; who needed to stop flirting and pay attention, or even himself; who needed to focus less on stats and more on what was going on. "She doesn't move around enough. The Gronkle could have flattened her."

Tuffnut grinned, "That would have been awesome! All the destruction! And then the dragon would blow up because she isn't a proper Viking - ow!"

His sister had hit him, though that was hardly unusual, and Hiccup was aiming an impressive glare at the male twin.

Natalya rolled her eyes, more than used to it, and leaned against Hiccup's table. "I didn't want to be there in the first place, and that slowed me down."

Gobber either ignored or missed the barb. "Right, where did Hiccup go wrong?"

That had a more enthusiastic response. "Uh, he showed up?"

"He didn't get eaten? OW!" Natalya's tankard bounced off Snotlout's head.

"He's never where he should be."

The last one was from Astrid, which probably explained why it was the only one to make any real impact. Like Natalya, Hiccup was used to the random insults on uselessness from his peers. Natalya gave the other teens a dark look. "He had very little relevant training before we got tossed into the ring?"

That was true. When most viking children entered weapons training, Hiccup had been apprenticed to Gobber, instead. He had read books that Natalya's father had in stock, tried out the moves with a practice sword...and accidentally knocked over a rack in the forge, alerting Stoick and Gobber who had banned him from continuing.

From his expression, Gobber remembered that as well as Hiccup did. "Thank you, girls. You need to live and breathe this stuff." He dropped a book on the table. "The Dragon Manuel. Everything we know about every dragon we know of."

A rumble of thunder distracted him from the look that Natalya and Hiccup exchanged, thinking of the more comprehensive copy in Natalya's room, focussing more on the dragons themselves, rather than the best ways to kill them. Gobber turned his attention back to the teens. "Ah, no attacks tonight. Study up."

Tuffnut blanched, returning to the present from whatever shenanigans he had been planning. "Wait, you mean read?"

His twin echoed the horror, "While we're still alive?"

Snotlout tried to build himself up again. "Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you about?"

Fishlegs, of course, was more enthusiastic. "Oh, I've read it like seven times! There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face -"

Natalya sighed. "Scauldron: Tidal class, dangerous but easily dehydrated. Best idea is to avoid it if you can."

Fishlegs gave her an annoyed look. "The Dragon Manuel says to kill on sight. And there's this other one that buries itself -"

Tuffnut cut him short before Natalya could figure out if he meant the Whispering Death. "Yeah, yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was gonna read it -"

Ruffnut took up the thought seamlessly, "- but now..."

Snotlout shoved his chair back, "You guys read, I'll go kill things."

He strode out of the Hall, quickly followed by Fishlegs and the twins. Hiccup tried to look casual as he walked over to where Astrid sat. "So, I guess we'll just share?"

Astrid shoved the book at him as she stood up. "Read it."

Natalya tried not to let the jealous anger show on her face. "Do you think Gobber will mind if we take it out of the hall? I have way too much to do back at the shop to study here tonight."

Hiccup shrugged. "I doubt that anyone else is going to try and read it, so he probably won't mind. Want to see how it measures up to your copy?"

Natalya smiled. "If you feel like reading out loud while I cook, certainly. We need to start a new chapter for Night Furies, too."

Hiccup's smile as they headed back out into the rain made the entire wretched day worth it.

* * *

It was a not-unwelcome surprise when Natalya delivered a few loaves down to the docks and saw a very familiar ship sailing in. Of course, usually her father's little ship didn't have the sails torn to ribbons or the mast cracked. Finishing her delivery, she ran down to where the ship was dropping anchor. "Father! That was a short trip!"

Trader Johann returned her hug, staggering a little. "I was blown off-course by a storm, and the ship was struck by lightning. I even saw what could have been a Skrill! Looked a bit different, but it was a narrow escape! The dragon grabbed a rope and dragged my ship and dragged it halfway here before it flew off!"

Skyfire had been playing with lightning last night. Natalya would have to have a word with her about caution. Or at least sound her father out on his opinion of dragons. "So, you'll be here long enough for repairs? I don't know how fast that will go, most of the Vikings are off on another hunt, and the teens are stuck in Dragon Training. It's almost mandatory that you at least know how to fight them, even if you don't turn it into a profession."

Natalya's father gave her a sharp look. "You mean to say that they put you in Dragon Training, when you have your own business to run? You don't even like fighting! Did the Hoffersons actually agree to this?"

Natalya shrugged. "I don't know, they're off on a hunt. It isn't totally impossible, though. The majority of my regular customers are away now, so I wouldn't be getting much custom as it is. I don't like fighting dragons, though. Surely there has to be a different way?"

Her father smiled as they began walking up the hill to the wood workers shop. "You look and act more like your mother every day, but then you open your mouth and I could swear Valhallarama was speaking."

That was something that had puzzled her for a while. "I've been meaning to ask, why did some people call Hiccups mother Valhallarama, but mother always called her Valka?"

Her father smiled. "Her name was Valhallarama, but she was as beautiful and fierce as a Valkyrie, so her closest ones called her Valka. She and Enna were very close friends, even when a lot of folk wanted her to stay away."

Natalya lowered her eyes, "When she got pregnant with me, right?"

Trader Johann nodded, his arm firmly around his daughter's shoulders. "Yes. Her family didn't want anything to endanger the betrothal with Stoick. He had only been Chief for a few months, after his father and so many other Chiefs and heirs were killed in that dragon raid, and they didn't want Valka in 'unacceptable company' that might make Stoick look elsewhere for a bride."

Natalya huffed at that, leaning into her father's side. "Stupid of them. If the Chief refused to re-marry after more than ten years after his wife was declared dead, he must have loved her enough not to care who her friends were!"

Trader Johann sighed. "I agree with you there, lass. It's only a pity that not everyone has so much sense."

* * *

Natalya left her father in the village, running back to her Hall to meet Skyfire and go visit the flock. She pinned the beautiful dragon with a stern look. "Do you know anything about my father's ship getting hit with lightning after he saw a dragon that looked like a Skrill?"

Dragons might not speak Norse, but the flock had picked up enough from Hiccup and Natalya - who quickly got tired of trying to mime everything - to understand the basics. Skyfire lowered her head and nudged the poleaxe leaning against the door frame. She nuzzled Natalya and gave the most woebegone look a dragon was capable of, rolled onto her back, then leaped up and curled around Natalya protectively.

Natalya tried to puzzle that out. "You thought I was unhappy about dragon training and hoped that my father would be able to protect me from having to continue?"

Skyfire crooned, bumping Natalya with her head. Natalya hugged her dragon back, making yet another comparison between dragons and very young children. Her father wouldn't be able to withdraw her from Dragon Training without the Hoffersons' agreement, as they were her primary guardians, but it was very sweet of her dragon to try. "Come on, Skyfire. Let's go visit the babies."

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_A/N: Yay, another chapter is done!_

_Yes, there was a bit of fluff in this chapter, but hopefully it wasn't too bad. How did you like the reconciliation of the Movie! And Book! Names for Hiccup's mother?_

_Now, I'm still deciding on pairings. I have a basic storyline for both Hiccup/Astrid or Hiccup/Natalya, but I'm conflicted on which one to go with, as well as what the other pairings should be. Feedback and voting would be especially appreciated._

_With Eleven favourites and Fourteen follows, it shouldn't be hard to get more than one person to offer constructive criticism._


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